The man who has won the most Olympic medals for Trinidad and Tobago is now a United National Congress (UNC) senator.
By Richard LordSenator Boldon, 32, was appointed by Leader of the Opposition Basdeo Panday to replace Roy Augustus who resigned 24 hours earlier.
And Panday who was in the Senate to witness Boldon's swearing in along with UNC Deputy Political Leader Jack Warner, said Boldon was appointed "to help us (UNC) do what we can to bring the youths of this country at a level that will be admired by the whole world. That was the main purpose in appointing him."
Panday said Boldon "is a hero to the young people in the country, and the reason we asked him to join us in the Senate is so that he may be an inspiration to the young people in the country".
As the swearing-in exercise was completed Panday and Warner shook hands and smiled.
Warner said yesterday he was the one who asked Boldon to become a Senator.
Later at a scheduled news conference in the Parliament building, Boldon said he accepted the job in the Senate in order to be a bridge between the old and the young and the PNM and the UNC.
"My agenda is singular. I am not in this to be in the papers, for any political gain," he said. Boldon later added: "The UNC is not my agenda, neither is the PNM. The youth and sport in this country are."
Responding to questions on the problems within the UNC and in the country, Boldon said none of it was new to him. He said he was prepared to work with only those who were prepared to work with him. He said he did not expect his new job to be easy but he was accepting challenges.
He said he believed that young people feel that this country no longer cares about them.
Boldon said he knows "fully well how my country is. I don't expect everyone to understand my decision to suddenly have a cause for which I am willing to commit".
He said because of his successes in athletics he wants to "give back" to the people of this country.
He thanked Warner and Panday for the opportunity to serve.
Boldon said however that he was promised certain things by the PNM some four years ago but they did not materialise. He said he does not have much to do now, having retired from track and field. He insisted that he wanted something to do to contribute to the people of Trinidad and Tobago "and what I see in this opportunity is a chance to do something".
He then invited Education Minister Hazel Manning, Tourism Minister Howard Chin Lee and Sports Minister Roger Boynes to work with him "because 2006 is going to be a very important year for Trinidad and Tobago, because of our World Cup presence".
He said Trinidad and Tobago could become a better place if people were willing to make tough decisions and unpopular decisions. He said this country can also improve "if people were willing to not stand on the fence and to actually get into the field of play and do something".
Earlier in the Senate, Leader of Government Business Lenny Saith welcomed Senator Boldon, saying that "he has had a distinguished career in athletics and I am sure that after a few sittings he'll realise that this is slightly different to the tracks. You could run but you can't hide".
